"Mrs Crow objects to that," said Mrs Hurst. "She told me once she considered it wrong, because they might be called straight away from reading plays to attend a deathbed. Herbert, of course, doesn't agree with her, or he wouldn't have helped to get them up. He has a great opinion of Shakespeare as an elevating influence, and though he _did_ write plays, they're hardly ever acted. He doesn't seem, somehow, to have much to do with the theatre." "Between ourselves," said Miss Gibbins, sinking her voice and glancing to the other end of the room, where Mrs Crow's black bonnet was nodding confidentially at Mrs Hunt, "dear old Mrs Crow is _rather_ narrow-minded. I should think the presence of the Vicar at the readings might satisfy her that all was right." "The presence of _any_ clergyman," began Mrs Hurst, "ought to be sufficient warrant that--" But her sentence was not finished, for at this moment a little general rustle at the further end of the room, the sudden ceasing of conversation, and the door set wide open, showed that it was time to adjourn for tea. Work was rolled up, thimbles and scissors put away in work-bags, and very soon the whole assembly had floated across the hall into the dining-room, and was pleasantly engaged upon Mrs Hunt's hospitable preparations for refreshment. Brisk little remarks filled the air as they stood about with their teacups in their hands. "I never can resist your delicious scones, Mrs Hunt.--Home-made? You don't say so. I wish my cook could make them."--"Thank you, Delia; I _will_ take another cup of coffee: yours is always so good."--"Such a pleasant afternoon! Dear me, nearly five o'clock? How time flies."--"Dr Hunt very busy? Fever in Back Row? So sorry. But decreasing? So glad."--"Good-bye, _dear_ Mrs Hunt. We meet next Thursday, I hope?"--and so on, until the last lady had said farewell and smiled affectionately at her hostess, and a sudden silence fell on the room, left in the possession of Delia and her mother. "Del, my love," said the latter caressingly, "go and put the drawing-room straight, and see that all those things are cleared away. I will try to get a little nap. Dear old Mrs Crow had so much to tell me that my head quite aches."